Calendula is an amazing plant! I know, I know I say that a lot of plants (but honestly it’s true!) So maybe I am a little biased to plant-power. Making calendula oil couldn’t be easier. With calendulas benefits ranking as one of the tops for healing inflammation and irritation. I’ll have you ready to dive into calendula oil too, metaphorically speaking of course. Sure you could buy a small bottle of this healing elixir, but why would you, when you when infusing calendula oil is so easy and will save you like a bajillion dollars too.
This is one plant that is totally worthy of some garden space! As a miracle flower, calendula is not just great for the skin, It is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory, as well. It is often used for treating bruises, burns, sores, skin ulcers, skin infections and rashes, and is even gentle enough for use on babies! One great way to use is to infuse fresh flowers into an oil. Voila, just like that your healthy flower becomes a useful tool in the medicine cabinet. Calendula oil on hand is wonderful for use in making creams, salves, ointments or lotions.
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Calendula benefits
- Promotes cell repair
- antiseptic
- anti-inflammatory
- fever (keeps fevers from spiking too high)
- thought to promote good mood
Calendula, as I said, is one amazing plant, and can be used in so many ways both internally and externally! For the skin its commonly used:
- cuts
- scrapes
- burns
- diaper rash
- cradle cap
- sores
- skin inflammation
- eczema
- skin ulcers
pretty much anywhere where the skin is not at its best calendula can help. The great thing is that even though it is very powerful it’s still gentle and can be used on those with sensitive skin or even babies. In fact, calendula creams or salves are often a favorite solution for Naturopathic doctors.
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Calendula flower
If you have this lovely herb growing in the garden, which would be great given its an amazing companion plant too (wink, wink). You can also take some of those beautiful blooms to infuse for making calendula oil. Also, remember the more you cut the flowers the more you encourage the plant to produce more, so really its a win/win/win!
Making Calendula Oil
If you have plenty of calendula blooming then take enough to pack a jar 3/4 full. If you don’t have that much then clip your flowers every few days to add to you infusing jar.
Then choose your oil. I tend to use organic olive oil, I always have it on hand and it works great. However other oils also work great. Grapeseed oil, sweet almond oil, or sesame oil work well on sensitive skin. Jojoba oil or avocado oil works well on mature or dry skin.
I like to use pickle pebbles or fermentation weights to hold the herbs down under the oil. feel free to get creative here or just give it a shake every so often.
Place the jar in a warm sunny place for 4-6 weeks. If you are using the method I mentioned earlier about adding flowers every few days I would keep this going longer like maybe 8 weeks.
Once finished use cheesecloth and/or a fine-mesh strainer to strain out the herbs. Store in a cool dark place, use within a month or two. Better yet, add a little vitamin E oil and lavender essential oil to preserve and extend the shelf life to 6-12 months.
Don’t have fresh calendula? No biggie dried herbs work just as well, some argue they may work even better! Plenty of places sell organic dried calendula, so you can just infuse whenever you want to or need to!
Calendula Infused Oil
I can not sing the praises enough for calendula. No matter what you are doing with it wonderful for creams, salves and carrier oils to use with essential oils for wounds.
You want to speed the healing of just about any wound you want calendula. Feeling a little blue you want calendula. Got a diaper rash, eczema, irritation, inflammation? Calendula is king, it will heal it all. Infuse a little bit of this miracle flower and you have an on-hand DIY for just about any salve or cream you might ever want! Once you make the move to calendula oil, for healing wounds, trust me you will never go back ♡♡♡
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Beth is a mother of 6 living on a handful of acres in an old farmhouse in central Kansas. Beth has a background in the military and health and fitness however her passions come from her homestead life. Beth is an enthusiastic homeschooling mom, avid organic gardener, chicken & goat wrangler, who is obsessed with herbs and natural remedies and maintaining an all-around Do-It-Yourself lifestyle. Beth loves to share all she has learned about and sustainable living. While striving for a healthy, natural life, family-centered life.